Mistletoe Madness
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: Gage will do anything to catch Syd under the mistletoe.


Title: "Mistletoe Madness"  
Author: Pirate Turner  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Gage will do _anything_ to catch Syd under the mistletoe.  
Disclaimer: Francis Gage; Sydney Cooke; Ranger Cordell Walker; and Walker: Texas Ranger are all © & TM their respective owners and are used without permission. Everything else is © & TM the author, Pirate Turner, who makes absolutely no profit whatsoever off of this story. This story is only intended for entertainment.

As they walked together toward their desks, Gage was the first to spot the tiny plant hanging in the doorway. He glanced to Sydney who seemed completely unaware as she was not yet completely awake before returning his eyes straight ahead. The corners of his lips pulled up into a slow smile, and he began to whistle innocently as they drew closer to the door.

Gage's whistling broke through Sydney's sleepy mind, and she wondered what had suddenly put him in such a jolly mood. Glancing up, she was about to ask him about it when she noticed his eyes tear away from something ahead of them. She followed the trail they had just been looking in, and she paused as she saw the mistletoe. "No way," she told him firmly.

"What?" Gage asked, his surprise clear on his face.

Shaking her head, Sydney explained, "There is no way you're going to catch me under that thing."

"What thing?" he queried innocently.

"The mistletoe, Gage," she snapped. "I'm not blind."

"There's mistletoe?" His eyes swept their surroundings seemingly without spotting the tiny plant. "Where?"

Sydney couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her mouth at his innocent behavior. "You know where, _Francis_," she gently teased him.

A hand instantly flew to his heart. "I thought you said you'd never call me by that in public?" he spoke, pretending to be hurt. Gage's hopes that his behavior might cause Sydney to forget about the mistletoe long enough for him to catch her under it shattered as she used that very second to dash through the entrance. Once safe inside their office, she looked back at him with a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

* * *

It was not much longer after that when Walker gave them their first assignment of the day. "Is that all?" Sydney asked. When the Texas Ranger nodded, she grinned at him as she quickly said, "See ya later, Walker," and dashed for the entrance.

It only took Gage a split second to realize that she was again attempting to get through the mistletoe without him managing to steal a kiss from her. "Later, Walker!" he called to his friend and boss as he raced after his beautiful partner. "I've gotta catch that woman before she gets pass the mistletoe!"

When Gage arrived at the entrance, however, Sydney was already waiting on him on the other side. She leaned against the wall, one booted foot pressing against the hard brick. As he arrived, her head raised, and she looked at him with a single raised eyebrow, "What took you so long?" Gage only answered her with a look as he stormed pass her and continued out toward their car.

* * *

When they returned at almost noon to report back to Walker, Gage ran ahead of Sydney. He was waiting expectantly for her when she reached the entrance. "I don't think so," she told him, trying desperately to keep from laughing at the look on his handsome face as she clamped a hand tightly over her mouth and dodged through in the same manner as she would have attempted to escape sleeping gas.

A short, soft growl of frustration escaped Gage's mouth as she dodged right pass him. His fist hit the side of the wall before he managed to regain composure. His long legs quickly sprinted as he followed Sydney.

* * *

"Syd," Gage asked at ten until noon as he looked up from his desk, "what do you want for lunch?"

She shrugged. "CD's would be fine."

"Let's go," he said, standing. He slipped back into his coat and headed swiftly for the entrance. Sydney had still been shrugging into her jacket when he reached the entrance and suddenly let out a sharp cry as he doubled over in pain.

Terror instantly filled her brown eyes, and Sydney dashed toward her partner. "What is it? What happened, Gage?" The questions tumbled from her mouth as she reached his side and grasped him just seconds before he would have hit the floor.

"Syd," he hoarsely croaked out. "Syd . . . help . . . "

As Sydney drew him closer and tried her best to steady him, Gage's head suddenly turned. Their lips were just a couple of inches apart, but as he tried to catch her lips, she realized what he was doing. Instantly, anger flushed her face as she dropped him. He had barely landed on his knees when she slapped him. "HOW DARE YOU, GAGE!" she nearly screamed in rage before stalking out.

He returned to his feet, his hand gently cradling the cheek that she had slapped. His eyes flitted around at the other Rangers who were all staring at him, and he shrugged as he managed a brief, half-hearted chuckle. "It was worth a shot," he said with a grin that his heart was not in and a shrug of his shoulders. He then turned and swiftly headed after Sydney.

* * *

He found her outside, leaning against their car with a furious look clouding her beautiful face. "Syd," he called to her, hands open wide in a gesture of peace, "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"What is it with you?" she nearly hissed at him as her head turned toward him. He had been upset enough with himself for making her so angry, but the hurt he saw in her lovely eyes pained him to his core. "Did you think that was funny or something?"

"No," he said instantly, shaking his head to emphasize his answer. "I truly am sorry, Sydney. I would never do anything to hurt you. I was an idiot." As he spoke, he continued to draw closer to her. "You're so beautiful. You mean the world to me."

"Gage, save the manure for the farmers," she snapped coldly. "I'm not buying any."

Just as she finished speaking again, he reached her side and stepped in front of her. "Syd," he said, looking into her eyes, "it's not manure." His hand reached out to touch her, but she slapped it away. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I was an idiot, a fool. I was blinded by your beauty and the thought of finally getting to taste your sweet lips." His voice grew thicker with emotion as he continued to speak. "I'm sorry I was such a bastard."

That one word caused her eyes to soften. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Gage," she told him gently. "You were a jerk and weren't thinking with anything but your genitals, but that still doesn't make you a bastard." She wouldn't tell him that he could never be a bastard.

The first glimmer of hope since she had slapped him appeared on his handsome face. "Forgive me?" he pleaded softly.

She sighed. "You can call me the idiot this time, but yeah."

He grinned, bringing tiny traces of a smile to her lips. "Nah," he told her with a shake of his head and a wink. "You're too beautiful to be an idiot."

She grinned and rolled her eyes. "Just get in the car." As she slipped into the car, he headed around the vehicle to follow her order.

**The End**


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